Edgar Spencer

Interviewer: Georgia Smith

Interviewee: Edgar Spencer

Other Persons:

Date of Interview:

Location: Bristow, Creek County Oklahoma

Transcriber: Abby Thompson

Organization: Bristow Historical Society, Inc.

Original Cassette Tape Location: OHP-2020-13 at 00:00 to 28:37

Abstract:

Preface: The following oral history testimony is the result of a cassette tape interview and is part of the Bristow Historical Society, Inc.'s collection of oral histories. The interview was transcribed and processed by the Bristow Historical Society, Inc., with financial assistance from the Montfort Jones & Allie Brown Jones Foundation. Rights to the material are held exclusively by the Bristow Historical Society, Inc.

The reader should bear in mind that he or she is reading a verbatim transcript of spoken, rather than written prose. Insofar as possible, this transcript tries to represent the spoken word. Thus, it should be read as a personal memoir and not as either a researched monograph or edited account.

To the extent possible, the spelling of place names, foreign words, and personal names have been verified, either by reference resources or directly by the interviewee. In some cases, a footnote has been added to the transcript in order to provide more information and/or to clarify a statement. Some uncertainties will inevitably remain regarding some words and their spellings. In these scenarios, a (ph) follows a word or name that is spelled phonetically. The notation [indecipherable] is used when the transcriber has not been able to comprehend the word or phrase being spoken. The notation [inaudible] is used where there is more mumbling than words, or when interference on the tape has made transcription impossible.

GS: This is Georgia Smith with the Bristow Historical Society--stop. Now that we have the cell phones turned off, we'll try it again. This is Georgia Smith with the Bristow Historical Society in Bristow, Oklahoma, and I am here with Edgar Spencer of Bristow. We're at the depot, he's going to tell me a little bit about his history in the Bristow area. Let me check my volume on this first, make sure we've got it turned up good. Yeah I think so, I think we're good, yeah we're good. Okay, what was your name at birth?

ES: Edgar McDonald Spencer

GS: And where were you born?

ES: Slick, Oklahoma

GS: Were you born in a home or a hospital?

ES: Home

GS: In a home? Did the doctor come there or was it a midwife?

ES: I'm sure it was Dr. King

GS: Doctor King? What was your date of birth?

ES: 11/[Indecipherable]/1939

GS: And what were your parents' names? We'll start with your mother's maiden name.

ES: Fanny and Lou Robinson (ph)

GS: And do you know about when they were married?

ES: No idea

GS: Have no idea, that's okay. Do you know where they were married?

ES: I would say Bristow, Oklahoma

GS: Okay, and did they grow up here in Bristow?

ES: Slick

GS: In Slick, okay. How many children did your parents have?

ES: Four

GS: Four children? Can you tell me your siblings names?

ES: Billy Chadmoore (ph), Johnny Spencer (ph), and Lenon Spencer (ph)

GS: Okay, what did your father do for a living?

ES: He worked at Liberty Glass in Sapulpa

GS: Okay, and Edgar you might speak up just a little bit, with that mask it's gonna make it a little hard to understand. What did your mother do?

ES: She worked at the Hi-Way Café in Bristow

GS: Oh, I ate there many a time! What is your spouse--what was your spouse's name?

ES: Nancy Thurman

GS: Nancy Thurman, and when did you get married to Nancy?

ES: 1962

GS: 1962, how many children did you have?

ES: Two

GS: Two? And what are their names?

ES: Laurie Puckett (ph) and Michael Spencer (ph)

GS: Okay, could you say those one more time?

ES: Laurie Puckett (ph), P. U. C. K. E. T. T., and Michael Spencer (ph)

GS: Okay thank you. Okay tell me what your life was like at home when you were 00:03:00growing up when you were small.

ES: [Indecipherable] home, had three brothers, we got along well, did well.

GS: No fights?

ES: Oh sure

GS: What kind of house did you grow up in? Was it a wood frame, a brick, what?

ES: Wood frame

GS: Wood frame, and was it in town or out in the country?

ES: In Bristow

GS: In Bristow, okay. Now you said you were born in Slick, when did they move to Bristow?

ES: Well I don't know

GS: Don't know, you were pretty small?

ES: Yeah, I'm sure I was

GS: Did the kids have to share a bed?

ES: Yes

GS: What were your favorite toys when you were a little child?

ES: Probably trucks

GS: What kind of role did your mother play in the house?

ES: Typical housewife and she worked

GS: She worked outside the home?

ES: Yeah, Hi-Way Café

GS: At the Hi-Way Café, that's right you said. And was she a waitress or a cook?

ES: Cook

GS: She was a cook, that was some good food. How was your laundry done at home?

ES: Washing machine, washtub

GS: Was it one of the wringer kind or electric?

ES: Wringer tub

GS: I mean electric wringer.

ES: Yeah

GS: What kind of stove did you have?

ES: What kind of what?

GS: Stove, cooking stove.

ES: Typical gas stove

GS: Okay, and what were your meals like? Were they like the Hi-Way café or were they different?

ES: They were good

GS: They were good? Maybe meat and potatoes or--

ES: Oh yeah

GS: Yeah

ES: [Indecipherable] bacon, sausage

GS: Oh yum, are there any family recipes from your childhood that you got to keep?

ES: Meatloaf maybe

GS: Meatloaf? She made good meatloaf?

ES: Mhm

GS: I probably should get that recipe from you, I'm not too good with meatloaf. What did you shop for groceries?

ES: Where did?

GS: Where did you shop, yes

ES: M&P Grocery

GS: And that was on seventh street, or?

ES: I believe that's correct, yeah.

GS: Okay, and did you have daily chores you had to do?

ES: Oh yeah

GS: What were they?

ES: Mow the lawn, work in the garden, help clean the house

GS: You had a garden here in town? Vegetable garden?

ES: Mhm

GS: Did your mom can some of the produce from it?

ES: Yeah

GS: So they probably didn't--weren't able to own livestock though here in town, right?

ES: No

GS: Yeah, what kind of clothes did you wear?

ES: Typical jeans

GS: Mostly jeans

ES: Mostly jeans, yeah

GS: Button down the front shirts?

ES: Yeah

GS: And I'm sure I know the answer to this but it's on here so I'm gonna ask it. Did you have shoes year round?

ES: Did I have what?

GS: Shoes year round

ES: Oh, yeah

GS: Yeah, I think most people from your generation on had shoes year round

ES: [Indecipherable] we had shoes

GS: Yeah, maybe my mommas, maybe not, but. Did you have many friends in the neighborhood that you played with or was it just with your brothers?

ES: No, there was kids in the neighborhood

GS: Anyone in particular that you remember fondly?

ES: Well there was some Pulms, P. U. L. M. S. and a couple of kids we played with all the time

GS: Did you have any childhood games that you played?

ES: Typical games, hide and seek.

GS: Kick the can?

ES: Yeah

GS: Where did your father work?

ES: Liberty Glass in Sapulpa

GS: Okay I didn't know that, and what was his role in the house? Just as provider?

ES: Yes

GS: Do you remember the first time you saw a television?

ES: No

GS: Yeah, do you remember purchasing your first T.V.?

ES: Not really

GS: Okay, now we're gonna go on to your grandparents if you can remember anything about them. Do you remember hearing your grandparents describe their lives, what it was like for them?

ES: Not really

GS: Not really. Do you remember great grandparents at all?

ES: No

GS: Okay, who was the oldest person in your family that you can remember from 00:08:00when you were a child?

ES: My grandfather

GS: Your grandfather, and what was his name?

ES: Franklin Spencer

GS: Franklin Spencer?

ES: Mhm

GS: Do you remember anything particular about him?

ES: No, not really. Typical grandfather

GS: Okay, where did you first attend school?

ES: Bristow, Washington school

GS: At Washington Elementary? Who was your teacher?

ES: What was her name? Mrs. Frump (ph) was one of them, that's about the only one I miss [Indecipherable]

GS: Okay, I had Mrs. Frump in second grade

ES: Did you?

GS: Mhm

ES: Mrs. Spear (ph)

GS: Yes, uh-huh

ES: Mr. Zero (ph)

GS: Okay, what hours was school held?

ES: I don't know, from 9 -- 3

GS: Were you a member of any clubs or organizations or sports?

ES: Bristow quarterback club

GS: Okay, well when you were in school

ES: Oh when I was--no.

GS: Yeah, was the school building used for other community purposes?

ES: I don't believe so

GS: Did your mother pack your lunch for you or did you eat in the cafeteria?

ES: Both

GS: Both?

ES: Yeah

GS: What kind of lunches did she pack you?

ES: Sandwiches

GS: Do you remember anything about the classroom in particular?

ES: Not really

GS: Were your teachers strict? Kind? What were your teachers like?

ES: They were kind but strict

GS: Kind but strict. Okay, did your family go to church when you were a child?

ES: Yes

GS: Which church did they attend?

ES: Bristow Gospel Tabernacle

GS: Okay, is the same building now standing?

ES: Mhm

GS: Describe what your Sunday services were like

ES: Typical prayer station, then a sermon. And [Indecipherable]

GS: Did they have Sunday school--

ES: Yes

GS: --before, mhm. Do you remember any of the songs they sang?

ES: Just the old hymns

GS: Were holiday events at church special? Did they do anything special for Christmas or Easter or--?

ES: Yes, we always had a program

GS: Was it a children's program?

ES: Mhm

GS: Were you in those?

ES: Yes

GS: What did--what was your favorite one? Can you remember one in particular?

ES: No

GS: What were Christmases like when you were a kid?

ES: They were good

GS: They were good, did you get a lot of gifts, one special gift?

ES: We'd usually get one special gift

GS: And did you--I've been curious about this, did you put up the tree like a month ahead of time or did you wait just a few days before Christmas?

ES: Few days before

GS: Few days before, I think that used to be more common than it is today

ES: Yeah

GS: Did your mother sing in the choir?

ES: No

GS: Or your father?

ES: No

GS: Were they involved in the church in any way?

ES: A little, not a whole lot

GS: What was medical care like when you were a child? You mentioned Dr. King delivered you, can you remember going to the doctor when you were small?

ES: Just for immunizations

GS: Yeah, yeah. Did you have a family doctor?

ES: Yes

GS: Dr. King?

ES: Dr. King

GS: Did he make house calls?

ES: Yes, he did

GS: I didn't remember if he did or not. Did your mom have any home remedies that she would try out on you?

ES: Yeah, I don't remember what they were

GS: But you were her guinea pig, huh

ES: Yeah

GS: Were you ever hospitalized?

ES: I think once in my life I've been in the hospital with a pneumonia

GS: Ah

ES: I've been fortunate

GS: Okay we're gonna turn around to Bristow now. What are your recollections of Bristow from when you were a kid?

ES: My recollections?

GS: Uh-huh

ES: It was a small town

GS: Anything in particular you remember like the buildings or the people or the business?

ES: Oh the parks and the people and the church, schools.

GS: Any building in particular stand out to you

ES: No

GS: Did you--I know we had two walk in theaters and a drive in theater, did you attend those?

ES: Yes

GS: Did you do it on a regular basis?

ES: Not regularly, we did it every now and then

GS: Every now and then. Did you go to the Princes or the Walmer or the Drive in?

ES: Both

GS: Both

ES: There's Walmer, the Princes, and the Drive in

GS: Yeah, okay. Do you remember any of the big businesses in town?

ES: M&P Grocery (ph), Woolworth (ph), that's about all I can remember.

GS: Okay, what kind of shops did your mother go to shop at?

ES: Grocery store

GS: Did she go to Shamus dry goods

ES: Yeah

GS: Or to the Globe Store to buy her clothes

ES: Yeah

GS: Or did she make her own clothes?

ES: No, she would go to the store

GS: Okay, did you ever eat out at the restaurants? I know the answer to this

ES: Yes, my mother worked at Hi-Way Café so we were always eating at it

GS: Yeah, yeah. How did women dress back then?

ES: How did what?

GS: How did women dress back then?

ES: Long dresses

GS: And the men?

ES: Jeans and shirt

GS: I bet you saw a few more overalls

ES: Oh yeah

GS: And suspenders back then too

ES: Yeah

GS: Did Bristow have any main holiday events that they would make a big to-do out of?

ES: They would always have a Christmas event

GS: Parades?

ES: Mhm

GS: Did they have a fourth of July parade or a fireworks display?

ES: I believe they did, yeah. If I remember right.

GS: I remember going to the pirate drive in theater for fireworks

ES: Mhm

GS: After the double feature on the fourth of July. Did you ever do that?

ES: Yeah, yeah.

GS: Okay. As a child, what did you want to be when you grew up? You had no--yeah. Nothing, huh? Okay what was your first job?

ES: Working in service station

GS: Which one was it?

ES: Henshaw

GS: Henshaws? Where was that located?

ES: It's about fourth and main

GS: Fourth and main, okay. Where--

ES: Down where the old ice plant used to be, you remember that thing?

GS: Oh, okay, yeah.

ES: [Indecipherable] it was right in there.

GS: Okay, what kind of jobs have you had in your life?

ES: Service station, policeman, military, that's about it.

GS: City councilman?

ES: City council, yeah.

GS: What career did you land on to raise your children?

ES: Department of Public Safety

GS: Department of Public Safety, and what was your job there?

ES: Policeman.

GS: Okay, how did you decide to become a policeman Edgar?

ES: I don't know, I just--I just liked it and enjoyed doing it

GS: What do you think drew you to it?

ES: Just people I knew that were in that profession

GS: You respected them and--

ES: Mhm

GS: When you were in the military, when and where did you serve?

ES: I served in Missouri, Texas, Oklahoma, Korea.

GS: Were you in the national guard or the army or what branch were you in?

ES: Regular army

GS: Regular army, and what rank were you?

ES: Sergeant

GS: Sergeant, and what years were you in there Edgar?

ES: 19--I forgot already. Probably 1956

GS: Okay, I just like to check it every now and then.1956 through what?

ES: 62' maybe

GS: Okay, so you saw active duty in Korea?

ES: Yes, after the war

GS: After the war?

ES: Yes

GS: So you probably weren't injured since it was after the war

ES: Right

GS: Were you in the peace keeping--

ES: Yes, occupation force

GS: Okay, when and where did you meet Nancy?

ES: When did I meet?

GS: Uh-huh, when and where?

ES: Well I don't know

GS: You just always knew her maybe?

ES: Yeah just probably, we got together.

GS: What were your first impressions of Nancy? What made you fall in love with Nancy?

ES: Personality

GS: Her personality, she did have a great personality. Were you engaged very long?

ES: Six months maybe

GS: Six months, did you have a big wedding?

ES: We had a church [Indecipherable]

GS: Very nice, what were your first years of marriage like?

ES: Very good

GS: Very good, did you live in a house, an apartment building with parents, where did you live?

ES: We lived in rent houses

GS: In rent houses, and where did you work when you were first married?

ES: Liberty Glass in Sapulpa

GS: At Liberty Glass, did you ever travel to Tulsa or Oklahoma City when you were younger in your early life?

ES: A little

GS: Did you ever take the train from the depot here?

ES: No

GS: No, do you have any memories of the depot?

ES: I can remember the trains; it was a [Indecipherable]

GS: Does your family always have a car, or was there a first car that made you this--

ES: No we always had a car

GS: Yeah

ES: My dad always had a car

GS: Yeah, do you remember--no you wouldn't remember that, never mind. I--the question was "do you remember when route 66 was built?" and I thought "ah, no"

ES: That was actually 37'

GS: That was a long time ago. Do you remember though when route 66 came through here and was a big deal?

ES: Oh yeah

GS: Yeah, well it still does. Where did the Viet (ph) travelers stay when they 00:20:00came through Bristow?

ES: I remember Thurman motel, there was two or three motels in town.

GS: Was Thurman motels related in any way to Nancy your wife?

ES: No

GS: No, and I'm sure that they would stop at the Hi-Way Café and eat?

ES: Oh yeah, Hi-Way Café

GS: What are some of the other restaurants you think they stopped at?

ES: Harby House (ph)

GS: Where was the Harby House located?

ES: Somewhere along there where our shop is now, where our shop was it was right in there

GS: Where Candy Creations?

ES: Yes, yes. [Indecipherable]

GS: So between 8th and 9th street?

ES: Yeah

GS: Okay, on the west side.

ES: Yeah.

GS: Okay

ES: Hi-Way Café

GS: Are there any businesses that catered specifically to route 66 travelers, do you remember?

ES: Probably Hamburger King and what was the other restaurant there by Hamburger King?

GS: Oh, J&J Café

ES: Mhm

GS: Okay. Okay, we're gonna switch gears a little bit here and we're gonna go to racism. Was Bristow a segregated town when you were growing up?

ES: Early part, yes. I think I was probably a junior in High School when the first black went to High School in Bristow

GS: Okay, do you remember the names of any of the black families in town during your childhood?

ES: Not really

GS: Were you allowed to socialize with the black kids?

ES: Oh yeah, yeah.

GS: And so you were a junior when segregation ended and they integrated into the schools. Did you ever swim at the Bristow City pool?

ES: Yes

GS: Were black children admitted then?

ES: I don't believe so

GS: How were most black people employed in the city?

ES: Some of the worked for the city, some of them worked for the county, just various jobs.

GS: Do you remember any freedmen in Bristow?

ES: Any what?

GS: Freedmen

ES: No

GS: Do you remember any incidents of racism in Bristow or in Oklahoma that occurred?

ES: No not really

GS: How were Indians treated in Bristow?

ES: Indians? They were treated kind.

GS: What kind of jobs did they have?

ES: Just various, labor

GS: Like anybody else?

ES: Just various jobs [Indecipherable]

GS: Who were some of the Indian families that you might remember? Do you remember any of them?

ES: The Riley's, Jerry Riley, Clouds, that's about all I can remember

GS: Okay, the Riley's and the Clouds. Were there any other groups here in Bristow that you ever noticed were targeted for exclusion? For instance, maybe the Lebanese or any other groups?

ES: There was quite a few Lebanese in Bristow, yeah.

GS: Were they ever the targets of racism?

ES: I don't believe so, most of them were merchants on main street

GS: Okay, was your family involved in any of the early oil well boom that was in Bristow?

ES: No

GS: Do you have any memories of the boom? The oil boom here?

ES: Just vaguely

GS: What kind of memories?

ES: All the people coming in, fill their [Indecipherable] go out and work on the rigs, stuff like that.

GS: Okay

ES: Bristow [Indecipherable] the oil boom back then

GS: Yes, it was, oil raised me so I have a soft spot for oil. Okay you were born in 39', I didn't want to ask you something that was gonna be age inappropriate there. So you were born at the end of the great depression

ES: Right

GS: Do you remember in the 40's any residual effects from the depression?

ES: No

GS: Okay, let's move on to the 40's. You were young, do you remember any of the things that went on in the city lake with the WPA doing the work projects out there, Eleanor Roosevelt coming, you have any memories?

ES: [Indecipherable]

GS: Of any of that? Do you remember as a kid people using the amphitheater much?

ES: Mhm

GS: What did they use it for?

ES: Concerts, stuff like that. Revivals

GS: Did they have high school graduations there?

ES: I can't remember, I don't believe they did, but [Indecipherable]

GS: You might speak up just a little bit more. Was the lake area crowded? Did the people make good use of the lake?

ES: Yup, there was quite a few people use the lake, fishing, even swimming. You wasn't supposed to but they did

GS: Yup, didn't stop them did it?

ES: Yeah

GS: Was your family politically involved?

ES: No

GS: Okay, did you ever have any family members run for office?

ES: No, just me

GS: Just you, that's right just you! And how long were you city councilman Edgar?

ES: Six years I believe

GS: Okay, what years was that, do you remember?

ES: No not really

GS: Okay, it was fairly recent though, wasn't it?

ES: Yeah

GS: So in the 2010's or--

ES: Yeah

GS: Or in the teen years?

ES: Yeah

GS: Because it's just been a few years since you retired, hasn't it?

ES: Yeah, it has yeah

GS: Okay

ES: I'm 81 now, I retired when I was 65

GS: Okay, what would you consider to be the biggest most--well let me rephrase, what would you consider to be the most important invention during your lifetime?

ES: Most important invention? Probably medical

GS: All the medical discoveries that they've made?

ES: All the medical, yeah.

GS: And how is the world different now than when you were a child?

ES: It's altogether different, it's--

GS: It's not the same at all, is it Edgar?

ES: Not the same, people are not involved with helping each other, helping the 00:27:00city, [Indecipherable]

GS: It's an opinion I've had shared quite a bit Edgar. As you see it, what are the biggest problems that face our nation, and how do you think they could be solved?

ES: That's a good question, more togetherness, more involvement from people, people becoming involved and together.

GS: Right now we're in the middle of a pandemic, how has the COVID pandemic affected you?

ES: I trying to stay away from the public, I try to avoid crowds.

GS: Are you going to get the vaccination or have you already received it?

ES: No they didn't have it, it's coming in next week.

GS: Oh

ES: Yes, I will get it

GS: So you registered online for it?

ES: Yeah

GS: Good, good. Alright now is there anything I haven't asked you about or anything that you'd like to tell me about?

ES: No I've had a good life

GS: Had a good life, no complaints, huh?

ES: No complaints, Bristow's a good little city for families

GS: It is a good city. I really thank you Edgar for coming in and talking to me

ES: You're quite welcomeGS: I appreciate your coming down here and this will be an important part of our history here at the museum as well as we share with OSU extension service

ES: Okay

GS: So thank you so much

ES: You bet